Diana was busy preparing dinner when she heard Nez’s voice coming from the living room. She frowned.
‘What is she doing here in this hour? It’s already late.’ She asked herself.
“Hi, Tito! Is Diana here?” she heard Nez asked her father.
“Hi Nez. She’s at the kitchen, busy preparing dinner. Just go in there.”
“Thanks, Tito. Diana dear!!!” Nez yelled.
“What?? I’m here!” She yelled back.
She was busy cutting the vegetables when Nez came in. She’s smiling mischievously. Diana ignored her.
“What’s the news? When are you going back to Canada, by the way?” She asked Nez.
“In 2 weeks. I only had a 2 months vacation leave, so…” Nez shrugged her shoulders.
“And we didn’t even had a time to have fun. Honestly, you chose the wrong month to take a vacation.” She rolled her eyes. “You know what, just go back to Canada.” She said out of spite.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.”
“And that would be, how many years again?”
“Come on, Diana. You know I’m still waiting to be a citizen there. I would go home more often after I got my citizenship. Okay.”
“Fine. What else could I do but to wait?” she rolled her eyes.
“Is that double meaning?” Nez laughed. She sneered at her. “Okay, enough that. I came here for something else.” She said and smiled sweetly at Diana.
“And what could you be here for if not that?” she asked, putting her attention back to the vegetables she’s cutting.
“You’re going on a date with Albert this weekend.”
She stopped cutting and looked at Nez, frowning. How did she even know that?
“He texted me, okay? He asked me about what your favorite flowers are, your favorite food. As if he doesn’t know you.” Nez said, answering the question in her head.
“For the record, I didn’t say yes. Not just yet. Besides, I’m not planning to go.”
“What??? You’re going to ditch him?”
“Ditching him means I agreed to go with him and leave him hanging. I didn’t say yes yet so that’s not ditching.”
“Why, Nez? Is my sister going on a date this weekend?”
They both looked at the doorway. Janwill was standing there with her pooch on his arms. Diana glared at him.
“What did I tell you about eavesdropping?” she sneered at his brother.
“You didn’t say anything to me about eavesdropping.”
Nez laughed. She leered at his brother.
“Well now I am telling you, when two people are talking, especially adults, don’t eavesdrop because it’s bad.”
“Okay noted.”
“Off you go! Do your assignments and stop eavesdropping. Go. Shoo!” and she pushed his brother out of the kitchen.
“You’re so rude, Diana!” Nez exclaimed.
“What? He’s eavesdropping!”
“I meant Albert. Remember when he asked you out when we were in college??? You’re still refusing to date him until now?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because I only see him as a friend.”
“Then go out with him in a FRIENDLY date. He is your friend after all.”
“I still don’t know.”
“Be honest with me. Are you still waiting for Arjay? Are you still in love with him?” Nez asked in a serious tone.
“I don’t know.”
“Diana.”
“I don’t know, Ynezmari, okay?”
“Weren’t you the one who said that we shouldn’t be imagining what’s not going to happen? Well, Albert is what’s happening, Diana. He’s real.”
“I don’t want to argue with you about that now, Nez.”
Nez sighed.
“Well I guess that’s the statement that says ‘f**k off’. I’ll be going now then.”
“Nez, I—“
“I’ll just talk to you tomorrow. I’ll go ahead.” Nez said and left the kitchen.
Diana heard Nez’s cheerful goodbye to her father and siblings. She sighed. If she could only say to Nez that she’s not being rude, she’s just shy. But Nez would misunderstood it for something else. She sighed again and continued what she’s doing a while ago.
“Well, that was deep.”
She looked up and saw her father on the kitchen doorway, leaning.
“We just had a misunderstanding.” She said.
“About a guy? Jan told me.” Her father said and took the seat where Nez just stood up from.
“Janwill!!! What did I tell you—“
“It’s fine. Don’t scold your brother. You know you can tell me everything, right?”
She sighed.
“I know that. It’s just that, it’s really nothing. Nez just misunderstood and I can’t even explain myself. “
“Well, just follow what you’re heart says. I know you would always choose what’s best for you. I raised you anyway, so.” Her father shrugged his shoulders. Diana smiled.
“Thanks papa.”
Her father stood up and went back to the living room. She reached for her phone and opened her sns. She chatted Justine.
SHOULD I GO OR NOT.
Justine is typing…
DEPENDS WHERE. – Justine.
JUST CHOOSE.
Justine is typing…
…???
WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN?
IT MEANS I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SO BETTER START TALKING IN LANGUAGE I UNDERSTAND. – JUSTINE.
Should she tell her?
I’LL TELL YOU LATER. AFTER DINNER.
MY DINNER OR YOURS? – JUSTINE
MINE.
FINE. TTYL. BYE.
‘What’s wrong with her? Is she on her period? So grumpy.’ She said to herself.
She sauteed the vegetables and added some seasoning. She let it simmer before turning off the stove. She prepared the table and called her family for dinner.
“So, sis, are you going on a date this weekend?” Anne asked Diana.
“What? Who told you that?” she asked.
“Who’s the unlucky guy?” Mel asked.
“Wow, really? He’s the unlucky one? He’s the lucky one if I agreed to date him, duh.”
“So you’re really having a date this weekend!” Grace exclaimed.
“First of all, I didn’t agree yet. Second, it’s not really your business if I date or not so stop. Lastly, WHOEVER told you I have a date will be grounded for a week.” She said and looked at her brother.
“What am I grounded for???” Janwill protested.
“I didn’t say it was you but you claimed it so you’re grounded. No buts.”
“Papa!” he turned to look at their father.
“Come on Diana.” Her father said but he kept his eyes on his plate.
“Papa.”
“Well, this should serve as a lesson to you son. Stop snooping around other people’s affairs.”
“But I told you about it!”
“Yes, but your sister said no buts so…”
“Unfair.” Janwill protested and crossed his arms on his chest.
“It’s not. You better eat up or I will let you wash the dishes.” Diana warned him.
They continued eating. After eating, Diana went to her room and locked herself up so Janwill couldn’t snoop around. She opened her sns and chatted Justine.
PST.
Justine is typing…
SUP.
ABOUT MY QUESTION.
UH HUH. WHAT ABOUT IT? CARE TO SHARE?
CAN I CALL YOU?
‘Justine wants to video chat … accept. Reject.’ She accepted the video call.
“Hey! So… care to share about that?” Justine asked on the other line. She’s busy typing something on her laptop.
“Seems you’re busy.”
“Not with you.” she said and focused on the video call. She smiled. Diana smiled back.
“Albert’s asking me out on Saturday. But I didn’t agree yet. So I’m just wondering if I could ask your opinion about it.” Diana began.
“Albert… Albert Esguerra?” Justine asked, frowning. Diana nodded. Justine burst into laughter.
“Hey! Why are you laughing?”
“I knew it! I knew he liked you! You’re just in denial!” Justine exclaimed and still laughing.
“Yeah, very funny. I told you this because I had a disagreement with Nez. With that matter, too. But I can’t tell her my reason so could you stop laughing now and help me out?”
Justine swallowed her laugh and made a serious face.
“Is this better?”
“Yes. Thank you. Now let’s go back to my question. Should I go or not?”
“Well, whatever your intuition says. If you’re asking me because you need my opinion, I’d say you go. But I know you’re just asking me because you’re going to do the exact opposite so I am telling you now, if you’re not sure, don’t go. If you’re confident, then go. As simple as that.”
Diana sighed.
“I’m indecisive, actually.”
“What did Nez say about this anyway?”
“She was furious I kept rejecting Albert but I can’t—“
“Wait, hold up right there. You KEEP REJECTING – what, he asked you out already? This is not the first time? And you’re rejecting him again???”
“Well he asked me when we were in college but I told him no, anyway –“
“Oh, poor dear… that’s why he ended up with the short girl. I knew it!”
“Justine! Focus!” Diana called her attention.
“Okay, sorry, my bad.”
“So as I was saying, Nez got mad because I told her I don’t have plans on going with Albert this weekend.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because I’m shy, that’s all.”
“And you didn’t tell Nez that because…?”
“Because she would mistake it for other meanings and I can’t deal with that.”
“And you’re telling me that because…?”
“Because I know you would understand.”
“Oh deary… I’m not gonna lie, Nez and I had the same perception but… there’s a ‘but’, so no need for violent reactions. But, as your friend, I won’t force you if you don’t want to. Just politely decline the offer. That’s the most decent thing to do.”
“I’m afraid I can’t. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“You don’t want to hurt his feelings? Date him then.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Exactly. Now politely decline. I had my say already. You choose: date him or politely decline. If you can’t choose among those choices, pray that something would save you from that weekend.”
She kept her silence.
“I’m just saying what’s on my mind.”
“Yeah I know that. Thanks for the advice. I should hang up now so you could continue whatever it is that you’re doing.” She said and ended the video call.
She sighed hopelessly. How she wished something would come up and save her from the date.